Business

Oz Griebel has been at the helm of the MetroHartford Alliance — since 2001 — promoting economic development in the Greater Hartford region.

This hour, we sit down with Griebel — after his announcement he’ll step down from his role as President and CEO at the end of this year. We talk about the region, the state, and his hopes for the future.

The state of Connecticut is mired in a financial crisis. Facing a projected $1.7 billion deficit over the next two years, the General Assembly has yet to agree on a new budget to cover that gap while maintaining crucial services. Earlier this week, an article published in The Atlantic asked the question, "What on Earth is Wrong with Connecticut?"

Last year’s election was exhausting, for a lot of reasons. Not the least of which was the endless stream of narratives trying to explain the motivation of voters who, to be frank, seemed pretty pissed off.

Why can't kids today just work their way through college the way earlier generations did?

The answer to that question isn't psychology. It's math. A summer job just doesn't have the purchasing power it used to, especially when you compare it with the cost of college.

Let's take the example of a working-class student at a four-year public university who's getting no help from Mom and Dad. In 1981-'82, the average full cost to attend was $2,870. That's for tuition, fees and room and board.

Climate scientists agree that this century is getting much warmer and that such warming will likely bring economic pain to the U.S., but economists aren't sure how much. Now, a team of scientists and economists, writing in the upcoming issue of the journal Science, says it can at least tell which parts of the country are likely to suffer the most.

Aetna has announced it will move its headquarters to Manhattan, relocating its top executives out of Hartford for the first time since its founding in the city in 1853. The shift will come in late 2018.